Biography: ew of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. From the 1940s onward, he has personified Memphis music; his small but witty cameo role in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train, a film which satirizes and enshrines the city's role in popular culture, was entirely appropriate. As a recording artist, he wasn't a major innovator, but he could always be depended upon for some good, silly, and/or outrageous fun with his soul dance tunes. He was one of the few rock or soul stars to reach his commercial and artistic peak in middle age, and was a crucial mentor to many important Memphis blues, rock, and soul musicians. Thomas was already a professional entertainer in the mid-'30s, when he was a comedian with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He recorded music as early as 1941, but really made his mark on the Memphis music scene as a deejay on WDIA, one of the few black-owned stations of the era. He also ran talent shows on Memphis' famous Beale Street that helped showcase the emerging skills of such influential figures as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, and Roscoe Gordon. Thomas had his first success as a recording artist in 1953 with "Bear Cat," a funny answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog." It made number three on the R&B charts, giving Sun Records its first national hit, though some of the sweetness went out of the triumph after Sun owner Sam Phillips lost a lawsuit for plagiarizing the original Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller tune. Thomas, strangely, would make only one other record for Sun, and recorded only sporadically throughout the rest of the 1950s. Thomas and his daughter Carla would become the first stars for the Stax label, for whom they recorded a duet in 1959, "'Cause I Love You" (when the company was still known as Satellite). In the '60s, Carla would become one of Stax's biggest stars. On his own, Rufus wasn't as successful as his daughter, but issued a steady stream of decent dance/novelty singles. These were not deep or emotional statements, or meant to be. Vaguely prefiguring elements of funk, the accent was on the stripped-down groove and Rufus' good-time vocals, which didn't take himself or anything seriously. The biggest by far was "Walking the Dog," which made the Top Ten in 1963, and was covered by the Rolling Stones on their first album. Thomas hit his commercial peak in the early '70s, when "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do The) Push and Pull," and "The Breakdown" all made the R&B Top Five. As the song titles themselves make clear, funk was now driving his sound rather than blues or soul. Thomas drew upon his vaudeville background to put them over on-stage with fancy footwork that displayed remarkable agility for a man well into his 50s. The collapse of the Stax label in the mid-'70s meant the end of his career, basically, as it did for many other artists with the company. In 2001, Rufus Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Later that year, on December 15, he died at St. Francis hospital in Memphis, TN.
allmusic, music reviews, new releases, artists biography Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. Get Rufus Thomas biography information. Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. In 2001, Rufus Thomas was inducted into Carla Thomas. Rufus' 1990 album for Alligator Records, That Woman Is Poison! Rufus Thomas (March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was a rhythm and blues and Rufus Thomas, the world's oldest teenager, continues today to play the blues for those who like blues or gospel or funk. of Rufus Thomas by Candice Rufus Thomas first recorded as a member of the Rabbit's Foot Minstrels. Rufus Thomas 'the world's oldest teenager' died from heart failure in December Rufus Thomas. Artist Main. Rating affects your music played in LAUNCHcast and Music Videos. Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. photos, Rufus Thomas live performances and more information on Rufus Thomas. Biography: Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. Amazon.com: The Best of Rufus Thomas: Do the Funky Somethin': Music: Rufus Thomas by Rufus Thomas Rufus Thomas drove Stax to make probably its funkiest music. Amazon.com: The Funkiest Man Alive: The Stax Funk Sessions 1967-1975: Music: Rufus Thomas by Rufus Thomas So check Rufus Thomas out. Rufus Thomas, one of the most beloved figures in the history of Blues and the following the demise of Stax, Rufus Thomas continued to work steadily in Memphis. anybody out there in soul-land have a video of Rufus Thomas singin Memphis Train? rufus thomas memphis blues funk. URL. Embed. customize allmusic, music reviews, new releases, artists biography Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. Yahoo! Shopping is the best place to comparison shop for Compare prices for Rufus Thomas - Blues Music. Compare products, compare prices, read reviews and merchant ratings.Yahoo! Shopping is the best place to comparison shop for Rufus Thomas Biography - Blues Music. Compare products, compare prices, read reviews and merchant ratings.Amazon.com: The Best of Rufus Thomas: Do the Funky Somethin': Music: Rufus Thomas by Rufus Thomas Online shopping for Styles from a great selection of Music; Classical, Pop, Rock, International, Jazz, Alternative Rock, Latin Music, Dance & DJ, R&B, Rap & Hip-Hop & more at b. 26th March 1917, Cayce, Mississippi, U.S.A. d. 15th December 2001, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A. Rufus Thomas first recorded as a member of the Rabbit's Foot Rufus Thomas, one of the most beloved figures in the history of Blues and the renowned ambassador of Memphis music itself, died Saturday, December, 15th, of an apparent heart Born: Mar 26, 1917 in Cayce, Mississippi Died: Dec 15, 2001 in Memphis, Tennessee Representative Songs: "Walking the Dog," "Do the Funky Chicken,Just click on the link back to the main Artist Discography page if you want to check another one out. Or click on the link for the home page for access to Rufus (Roman cognomen) Several Saints Rufus; Rufus (actor), a French actor; Rufus King, a pre-Civil War US politician; Rufus Sewell, a British actor; Rufus Thomas, US singer; King William II
![Stevie Wonder : Definitive Collection [2CD] Disc 2](/covers/36/3673/alb_101423_th.jpg "Stevie Wonder : Definitive Collection [2CD] Disc 2")
